- Xavi is reportedly losing the faith of multiple first-team Barcelona players
- There are mitigating factors and the club have insisted his job is safe for now
- IAN LADYMAN: I couldn’t work for Pep. I’d last a week under Guardiola, he would fry my brain! It’s All Kicking Off
Xavi is reportedly fighting to keep the confidence of multiple first-team players at Barcelona.
Barcelona are fourth in LaLiga, eight points off pace-setters Girona, and their latest blow came in a 4-1 battering by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Some stars are losing faith in him and are annoyed that he said they could not adapt to Barca’s play style, according to ESPN‘s sources.
One source told ESPN that some players feel he has not been as tough on particular squad members, but not all players hold the same view.
Barca won the LaLiga title at a canter last season but have been hamstrung by their Financial Fair Play situation and struggled to register players at the start of the season.
Xavi is reportedly struggling to keep the confidence of several first-team players, as per ESPN
A 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final is the latest blow
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In yet more upheaval, they are playing at Spain’s Olympic Stadium this season as the Nou Camp undergoes a £1.25billion rebuild and they have struggled to draw their regular crowd.
Sporting director Deco insisted after the Madrid defeat that Xavi’s job is safe, saying: ‘This question [about his future] does not make sense. The coach still has the president and the club’s confidence and this defeat does not change anything.’
Barcelona would understandably want to give Xavi every chance considering their financial constraints and the fact that they armed him with a new contract until 2025 in September.
However, club president Joan Laporta is understood by ESPN to prefer Barca B coach Rafa Marquez as a possible interim replacement if Xavi leaves before the end of the season.
There have been concerns that Xavi has not implemented Barcelona’s usual fluid identity on the pitch despite having been in the job since November 2021.
Barcelona won the league title last season on the bedrock of an impermeable defence, only conceding 20 goals, but are only the fifth-highest top scorers this time around.
Xavi is bullish about the confidence behind him.
‘[There is] confidence, yes, he told Movistar after losing to Real Madrid in the Super Cup final.
‘We must be self-critical and correct a lot, but I still believe in the project and that can have a great season. We have to be very self-critical about our performance today.
Financial constraints and playing away from the Nou Camp are mitigating factors for Xavi
Barcelona B boss Rafa Marquez (left) is reportedly the interim option preferred by club president Joan Laporta (right) if Xavi leaves before the end of the season
‘There are reasons to believe. We won two trophies last year [LaLiga and the Spanish Cup] with me as coach. It’s not that long ago. Today was tough and I apologise to the fans, but there are arguments in our favour.’
‘Last season, there were reasons to say we were entering a new era. Now we will have to put up with the criticism, be self-critical and reset.’
Barcelona remain in the Champions League and will face Napoli in the last 16 as well as the Copa del Rey.
Their next assignment is the Copa del Rey last 16 clash against third tier side Unionistas – on paper an easy match to negotiate, though they only beat fourth-tier outfit Barbastro 3-2 in a gritty game in the previous round.
Source From: LaLiga News, Fixtures and Results | Mail Online
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